Life WithOUT Derek
by degrassichick
Summary: [Dasey] When an incident brings George and Nora to a divorce, Derek and Casey are forced to confront their feelings for each other. Will fate step in the door and take over, or will the seperation ruin everything that could possibly happen between them?
1. End of an Era

**I have to be just about the worst, most sidetracked writer on this website. I am _so_ sorry for not updating on Out of the Blue! But while I was traveling between the hospital, home, and my brother's house, this story idea just sort of…dawned on me and I just had to write it! So, I'm really sorry! I've have the new chapter of Out of the Blue up soon!**

**On the plus side, my mom officially does_ not_ have to take chemo. Instead, she is on some medication for five years. But it isn't chemo, thank goodness!**

**Anyways, here is my latest story: Life withOUTDerek**

**Enjoy!**

**R&R and please, no flames!**

**Lotsa love, degrassichick**

**-x-**

**Chapter 1**

**-x-**

**Derek**

**-x-**

You know, if there is one person in the world, just _one_ person, to blame for what's going on with my family right now, it's my mother.

It's all _her_ fault.

Dad was out at this stupid party at work that Nora didn't go to due to Marti being sick; guess who was there, of _all _the people in the world to be there?

Abigail Venturi-Cagle.

I never knew my dad was such a dumbass until I found out what he did with her that night.

Please tell me I don't seriously have to tell you, it's pretty obvious isn't it?

Yeah, they did the deed.

How did Nora find out, you ask? Well, Daddy Dearest just so happened to call Nora "Abby" _three _times during dinner last night. Nora finally got it out of him last night. And now? Well, now Nora is packing her suitcases and telling Casey and Lizzie that they're going to be staring with Nora's mother until she can get everything sorted out.

That's right, the Venturi-McDonald clan is _finished_.

And honestly, I'm actually _not_ happy about it.

-x-

**Casey**

-x-

"Lizzie, do you have my brush?" I ask, walking into my sister's bedroom.

Lizzie glances up at me from where she is trying to bounce a soccer ball on her knee, "Haven't seen it. Marti could be using it as a microphone."

Marti's latest idea is no longer that she wants to be a witch or a princess. Now, she wants to be a pop star. She's been walking around the house all week singing along to ancient Britney Spears songs that retired almost a decade ago.

I sigh and run my hands through my hair that desperately needed a comb ran through it.

"Oh, before I forget. You might want to take this." My mom says sternly and the next thing I hear is George yelping "Ouch! Damn it, Nora!" and a piece of jewelry hitting the hardwood floor.

Lizzie bits her lip, "That didn't sound too good."

I plop down on Lizzie's bed, "I really hate this."

Lizzie sighs and nods, "I agree. I just want it to all be over with."

"We're going to have to change schools all _over_ again." I say with a groan.

Lizzie nods, "But on the _plus_ side, it's July. Meaning that we'll have a little over a month to try and make new friends."

I narrow my eyes at her, "Lizzie, you know how long it took me to make _one_ single flipping friend here? And now, I have to start all over again! I'm _horrible_ at making friends, you know that."

Lizzie shrugs, "I don't know what to tell you, Case."

I roll my eyes, "For once, you're actually _no_ help."

"_Two_ dads, Casey!" she practically screeches at me, "I have lost _two_ dads and I'm not even thirteen yet!"

I sigh, "I'm sorry, Liz."

Mom pokes her head in the door, "Are you too almost ready to leave? The cab is here."

Lizzie lets out a small sigh and grabs her two duffle bags off of the bed and makes her way out of the room.

We're leaving some of our stuff here that we'll be collecting in a few days, weeks, months, or never. I hate when Mom gets like this. She did the same exact thing when Dad died. She was so unbelievably crushed that she wanted to get out of our house, town, and providence within a day. Well, we didn't make it out of Ontario, but we did leave Toronto.

"Casey, are you ready to go?" Mom asks.

I sigh, "In a second. I just have to get my bags out of my room." I say and brush past her and down the hallway to my bedroom.

I step inside and plop down on the bed before letting my body fall back onto the mattress as I wipe away the tears that are fastening their seatbelts and preparing to take off in my eyes.

"Casey?" a small voice asks quietly.

I sit up and see Marti stepping into my room, my metallic purple hairbrush held my her small fingers.

"Hey Marti." I say, trying to sound as upbeat as possible.

"Are you ever coming back?" she glances up at me nervously.

I suck in a deep breath and try to blink away the tears, "Of course, Marti. I wouldn't just leave you like this. You know I wouldn't."

Marti nods and tears begin drizzling down her cheeks, "I'm sorry I was never very nice to you, Casey." She says in a near whisper.

I shake my head, the tears slowly drizzling down my cheeks as well, "Don't worry about it Marti, don't worry about it."

Marti's crying nearly turns into full out sobbing.

I crouch down to the ground and envelope her in my arms as she clings around my neck, "I love you Casey." She whispers into my ear.

"I love you too." I whisper back to her tearfully.

She pulls away and wipes her nose with the arm of her long sleeve shirt before handing my brush back to her, "Here's your microphone."

I laugh and give it back to her, "Why don't you keep it?" I suggest.

A smile slowly lights up her face, "Thanks Casey!" she says with a smile before waving at me, blowing me a kiss, and toddling down the hallway, "Lizzie!"

I run a hand through my hair and stand up, brushing my hands over my jeans.

"Hey Casey…" Edwin's changing voice slightly cracks as he steps into my room.

"Already say goodbye to Lizzie?" I ask.

The tips of his ears turn red. A few weeks ago, Edwin had witnessed Lizzie getting her first kiss from this kid in their class named Bobby Dowell. He had this angry rock music on full blast (and I had _never_ heard him listen to rock music until that night) when I had practically stomped upstairs to his bedroom demanding why he had to play his music loud enough that it practically shook the ceiling of my bedroom. He wound up breaking down and confessing how jealous he had been when he had seen Bobby kiss Lizzie. I always knew he had a crush on her.

He nods, "Yeah, I hugged her and told her I'd miss her."

I eye him in disbelief, "That's _it_?"

Edwin glances away from me, his cheeks turning pinker by the second until turning into a pale crimson.

I continue to glare at him.

"Okay, okay, and I kissed her on the cheek." He confessed, turning to face me.

I smirk, "What'd she do?"

"Kiss me back."

"Aw, that's so cute! You guys kissed each other on the cheek." I gush and make my way to ruffle his hair.

Edwin steps back from me to prevent me from ruffling his hair before a smirk spreads across his lips, "Whoever said hers to me was on the lips?"

My jaw drops. Lizzie_ kissed_ Edwin? My Lizzie? My innocent little sister _Lizzie_? Wow.

Edwin laughs and pulls me into a quick hug, "Don't be a stranger. I'll miss ya Casey."

I eye him in shock, "Yeah, I'll miss you too…" I say in a dazed tone as he laughs, waves at me, and exits my room.

Well, now I _really_ don't want to leave.

I've already said my goodbyes to George, Marti, and Edwin. There was only one person left.

Derek.

And I highly doubt he's going to go out of his way to tell me goodbye.

-x-

**Derek**

-x-

I have to tell Casey goodbye. I just _have_ to.

But I can't; because I don't _want_ to have to say goodbye to her.

I don't want her to leave, I just want her to stay here with me and we can just tell Nora that we'll take Casey off of her hands and she can have, say, Edwin.

_Get over your stupid crush, Derek. Just get _over it.

I would get over it, of course, if it was still _just_ a crush.  
Unfortunately, it isn't a crush anymore. No, it's something much bigger.

Love.

Yes. I, Derek Venturi, am in love with Casey McDonald. I have been ever since her and Sam's "yeariversary" (Sam's word, he felt guilty for that stupid ass "monthiverasry" that he hadn't wanted to celebrate with Casey that he had to make up his own stupid word for an event that already _had _a word. Casey, of course, thought that it was "adorable and so thoughtful of Sam". I hate him.). All that Sam had told me about it before the date was that he had a candlelit dinner set up for him and Casey and then they would do something _fun_ afterwards. All I know about this _fun_ is that Casey didn't get in the house until past three in the morning (I'm a big enough loser that I actually _waited_ up for her…not that she knows or will _ever_ know that) and that when Sam got back to school the following Monday, he was "the man".

Point is, I had been so insanely jealous over Sam talking about him and Casey endlessly that I nearly punched him. The only reason that I _didn't_ punch him was that he ducked out of the way and I wound up busting my hand on his locker instead. My knuckles were bruised for nearly three weeks after that.

Casey had found out about it and chewed my ass out that night. That's when it finally dawned on me that I was completely crazy over her. It used to just be a few feelings that I could easily hide. But I slowly changed and I kept finding myself going out of my way to "accidentally" brush my body against her or hold her or touch her or stand close to her.

Thankfully, she's never suspected anything. Or if she has, she has a _very_ good technique at hiding her feelings.

But the point is, I have to tell her goodbye, or I'll regret it.

I make my way towards my bedroom door and swing it open. But I am surprised when I am face to face with Casey.

-x-

**Casey**

-x-

I had been so worried about Derek not saying goodbye to me that I actually went to his bedroom to say goodbye to _him._

I can't believe I actually did though. Even though I know why I did.

I did it for the same reason that I clench my fists every time Emily talks about Derek, and for the same reason that I get this jumpy feeling in my stomach whenever Derek swings by Sam's house when the two of us are hanging out in his house, and the for the same reason that almost every time Derek and I have gotten into an argument recently, all I've wanted to do is grab his cheeks and crush his lips against mine.

It's true. I, Casey McDonald, have feelings for Derek Venturi.

How much more sick and twisted can I _get_?

And how big of a loser am I for actually thinking that Derek is going to actually _want_ to say goodbye to me?

As I stand in front of his closed bedroom door and lift my hand to knock, I am surprised when the door opens up and I am face to face with Derek.

-x-

**Derek**

-x-

"Hey Case." I say softly, glancing her up and down.  
God, she is gorgeous; unbelievably gorgeous.

And I am a sap; an unbelievably _huge_ sap.

"Hey Derek…" she says nervously, twisting her fingers around one another.

"What are you doing here?" I question.

Casey sighs, "I just wanted to say goodbye to you. So now that I have done that…" she slowly begins to back away.

I nod. _You fucking dumbass! Hug her, kiss her, tell her you love her, do _something!

"I'll see you around, Derek." She says nervously before turning on her heel and heading off down the hallway, tilting her head back and placing her hands over her face.

I suck in a deep breath, finally listening to my nagging conscience.

I hurry after her and latch onto her wrist, spinning her around and causing her body to bang up against mine.

Casey glances up at me with her big blue eyes before I slowly lower my lips onto her own.

She immediately responds, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing herself deeper into me as I wrap my arms around her waist, nearly lifting her off the ground.

"Casey!" Nora calls up the stairs.

Casey breaks away from me quickly, "I have to go." She whispers.

I sigh and nod, "Yeah, I know."

She backs away from me slowly, "Bye Derek." She says softly, tears glistening in her eyes before she turns and walks off down the hallway. She reaches the top of the stairs before turning around to face me tearfully as I stand moronically in the middle of the hallway like an idiot.

She sucks in a deep breath before turning and hurrying down the stairs.

I let out a deep sigh before turning around and heading back into my room, practically slamming the door shut behind me.

I practically hurl myself on my bed and turn my iPod on full blast, trying to block out everything else that is going on in my horrible life right now. Everything but that kiss, that is.

-x-

**Casey**

-x-

Derek _kissed _me.

That has to mean something, right?

Obviously, he feels the same way about me as I do about him. Either that or he was _really _desperate for a kiss.

Lizzie sulks against the door of the cab as we slowly pull away from the curb at the Venturi household, tears drizzling down her cheeks as she tries to hide her face in her lavender jacket.

I sit against the seat and let out a deep sigh, trying to go over the kiss in my head.

Mom turns around to face us from where she sits in the front seat, "I'm sorry girls."

"If you were truly sorry, we wouldn't be leaving." Lizzie grumbles and tries her hardest to dab away the tears.

I rub her shoulder consolingly.

"We're only staying at grandma's house temporarily." Mom states.

"Yeah?" Lizzie asks sarcastically, as if she is actually interested, "_Then_ what happens?"

"We'll rent out a house or an apartment."

Lizzie shakes her head in disbelief and puts the ear-buds of her iPod into her ears, turning it on.

Funny, she wasn't acting like this thirty minutes ago. Of course, that was before she and Edwin were in a lip-lock. Man, he must _really_ have an effect on her.

Just like Derek has on me…

My mind immediately flashes back to the kiss; it had felt exactly how I had always thought it would feel to kiss him, if not better.

And now, it was all over. I don't even know if I'll get to see Derek again.

"I can't believe you're just leaving your job at the law firm like this." I mutter.

Mom replies something to me, but I've zoned her out. I really don't want to listen to what she has to say right now.

**-x-**

**So, there it is.**

**I am _so_ incredibly sorry that I still haven't updated Out of the Blue and I am so ticked that I keep getting all of these other story ideas in my head. But I promise to have a new chapter for OOTB up ASAP!**

**In the mean time…**

**R&R and please, no flames!**

**Lotsa love, degrassichick**


	2. Welcome Back to Toronto

**Okay, I had a lot of debating between how I was going to handle this chapter, since I, personally, am not the biggest fan of crossover stories…and this _technically_ is a crossover, between Degrassi and Life with Derek, but it isn't going to be as wrapped up into both stories as others are, it is just going to feature some of Degrassi's characters and the school, Degrassi Community School. I debated a lot between whether or not I wanted to make it a semi-crossover, but I decided to. But I'm not sure if you'd really consider it a crossover story…**

**Anyways, thank you _so_ flipping much for the reviews! 29 in _one_ chapter…wow, you guys are pure _awesome_!**

**So…here is Chapter 2…and once again, I promise to have the next chapter of Out of the Blue up soon!**

**R&R and please, no flames**

**Lotsa love,**

**degrassichick**

**Chapter 2**

**-x-**

**Derek**

**-x-**

Honestly, the first night without the McDonald girls here was _hell_. It was so awkward to have three missing places at the table.

Dad was trying to cheer us up by making useless conversation that _nobody_ was interested in hearing or contributing to.

All Edwin did was stir his takeout around in his box while Marti complained about missing Casey and Lizzie and I was slumped over in my chair and muttering bitterly every time my dad asked me a question.

I kissed Casey. I full out kissed her.

Personally, that was a stupid, _stupid_ move. Because as soon as the kiss was over and she was walking down the stairs, I wanted to grab her and kiss her again. I wanted to haul her into my bedroom and lay her down on the bed and lock the door. What I didn't want her to do was leave.

But she did, she left.

And now I'm almost as bad as my lovesick brother who keeps saying, "Well, _Lizzie_ wouldn't like this food." "Well, _Lizzie_ never did that." "Well, _Lizzie_…" (You think up any sentence in the world, and he would find a way to somehow connect it to our youngest stepsister), and sighing pathetically. He's in _way_ over his head.

Of course, I am too. So who am I to judge?

-x-

**Casey**

-x-

"See? This won't be so bad." Mom says in an upbeat tone as we step out of the cab that had driven us from the airport to my grandma's house in Toronto.

I look up at the cottage style, white picket fence, brick house and sigh, "Yeah, sure."

Lizzie yanks her two duffle bags out of the trunk and stomps up the front walk ahead of me and Mom, "See if I ever talk to _you_ again." She grumbles incoherently under her breath before stomping up the front steps and ringing the doorbell.

"I really wish she wouldn't take it so hard." Mom sighs.

I shoot her a _"do-you-blame-her?"_ look before heading up the front walk myself. Leaving Mom to pay the cab driver and follow along behind us.

I kind of have to agree with Mom though; Lizzie _is _taking this whole thing much differently than I expected her to. She went to the bathroom halfway through our flight to Montreal and she had been in their for over twenty minutes. I seriously think she would have locked herself in their until the flight flew back to the airport in Toronto that we had left from if an overweight man in his mid-thirties wouldn't have banged his fists against the door and said, "This is a bathroom in an _airplane_, not a hotel room!". Lizzie had stalked out of the bathroom and shot him an angry glare before slumping back to her seat and wiping her eyes.

I glance over at the house next door to my grandmother's house and see two girls around my age and a boy around my age joking around on the porch of their house. One of the girls has long, blonde hair and the other has shorter, black hair, while the boy has short, slightly spiky blonde hair. I let out a sigh; I highly doubt I will _ever_ make friends that look to be as tight as the three of them, I head into the house and feel my mom coming up behind me.

"Hello girls!" my grandma says happily. She looks a lot like my mom, the same auburn hair (although hers is definitely aged) and the same twinkling eyes, they are practically the spitting image of each other. Of course, my grandmother would _never_ haul us out of our school district and city in one day.

Lizzie muttered a bitter "hello" before stomping up the stairs; the next sound we hear is a door slamming shut.

"Is Elizabeth alright?" Grandma asks.

I hike my thumb back towards my mom, "Ask her." I mutter before following after Lizzie.

-x-

**Derek**

-x-

"So…what's it like not having Casey around anymore?" Sam asks the next day as we sit on the couch playing Babe Raider.

I shrug, "Way better without them, man."

_Liar._

Sam sighs, "I miss her."

"Did she tell you goodbye?" I ask, turning to face him.

Sam nods, "I couldn't see her in person, but she called me yesterday morning and was crying to me over the phone. It was one of the first times I had talked to her since our breakup." Sam and Casey had (thankfully) broken up two weeks before due to Casey believing that the pair wasn't as "in love" as they had used to be. When Sam had called me to tell me the _bad_ news, it took all I had in me tonight shout, "Yes!" into the phone (but of course, I did as soon as we hung up)

"How did you react?"

Sam scoffs, "How do you think I reacted? I felt _horrible_; I started missing her while we were _still_ talking!"

I glance down at the rug on our hard wood floor, trying to block him out.

"It's going to suck going back to school without her there."

"Yeah…" I mutter absently.

Just then, the front door swung open and slammed shut as Edwin stomped into the house, throwing his rollerblades and hockey stick onto the ground before ripping off his pads.

"How did street hockey go?" I ask, glancing at the "I'm-going-to-beat-the-everlasting-shit-out-of-anybody-who-talks-to-me" expression on his face.

"Life sucks," was his reply.

Sam glanced back at Edwin curiously as he stomped up the stairs, "What's up with Ed?"

"He's been this total drama-queen-in-training since the McDonald's left. He misses Lizzie."

"I can imagine."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I look over at my best friend curiously.

Sam sighs, "It was obvious that Edwin liked Lizzie, and living under the same roof with someone who is appealing and close to your age and not _blood_ related is obviously going to be tempting. I'm just surprised that you never fell for Casey; I guess I'm lucky that I got to her first." Sam said, chuckling and nudging me in the shoulder.

_I guess I'm just lucky I got to her first…ha-ha-ha-ha…drop dead._

-x-

**Casey**

-x-

I wake up early the next morning to the sound of my grandma's Pug, Mario, yipping loudly.

I cover my head up with a pillow and try to block out the noise.

I can't even explain the feeling you get waking up in a completely different bed in an entirely different house that you know you're going to be staying in for a while. In all honesty, I _hate_ that feeling.

Lizzie is laying on the twin bed across from mine, she started mumbling and groaning and turns her back to me so that the front of her body is now facing the lemon painted wall.

I sigh and remove the pillow from over my ears, glancing up at the ceiling with teary eyes.

I hate this. I want to be back at home with George, and Edwin, and Marti…with Derek.

Since we left the Venturi house, I haven't gone thirty minutes straight without thinking about him. Even my _dream_ last night was about him.

In my dream I had been walking down the hall, clad in my Babe Raider outfit when I had seen this girl with Derek pinned to the locker and they were making out. I had flipped my way towards her and shoved her out of the way, kicking her into the stomach. Then out of nowhere a rope fell down from the ceiling, I latched onto Derek and the roped pulled us up and out of the school and onto a plane, where we proceeded to make out. I had just been getting ready to take off his shirt when Mario had started barking.

Thanks a lot, Mario!

I roll off of the bed and make my way into the bathroom to change and brush my teeth and hair before heading downstairs and noticing that there is a note sitting on the coffee table in the living room.

_Casey and Lizzie-_

_Running errand… be back around noon._

_Love,_

_Mom and Grandma_

"Joy." I mutter just as the doorbell rings, making me nearly jump a foot in the air.

Mario immediately begins to bark.

I shush him and make my way towards the door; I swing it open and am face to face with the brunette and blonde girls that I had seen next door the night before.

The blonde is the first to speak, "Hi, I'm Emma. We heard that Greta's family was coming to stay with her for awhile, so we just decided to come introduce ourselves. This is my best friend, Manny." She gestured towards the brunette girl.

Manny glanced up at me and smiled.

"I'm Casey McDonald."

"Are you going to be going to Degrassi in the fall?"

I shrug, "I guess so."

"It's a good school." Emma says reassuringly.

"So, where is your other friend?"

"Other friend?" Manny asks confusingly.

I think back to the way the boy from last night looked, "The boy with the blonde hair, he was with you guys last night."

"Oh, you mean Peter." Emma says with a laugh.

"I wouldn't exactly consider him a _friend_." Manny says negatively, "He's just Emma's boyfriend."

"Hey Em, Manny, Spike told me I could find you over here." Another girl, with long brown hair, says, running up to the pair.

"Darcy, meet Casey McDonald. She'll be starting Degrassi with us in the fall."

Darcy turns to me and smiles, "Hey, I'm Darcy Edwards." She says and holds out her hand for me to shake.

I smile and shake it, "Casey McDonald."

"We're supposed to meet the guys at the Dot in like, twenty minutes." Darcy states in a factual tone, turning her attention away from me and back towards Emma and Manny.

"The Dot is like our local hangout," Emma explains towards me, "and a bunch of us are going to hang out there today."

_Great…I guess?_

"You should come with us!" Darcy exclaims, "You'd love our other friends."

Manny nods, "It'd be totally cool if you wanted to come with us."

I think back to Lizzie, it isn't fair to her to leave her here by herself, especially when she doesn't even want to be here in the first place.

Of course, neither do I.

"I can't." I say apologetically.

Manny shrugs, "No biggie."

"Soon, though, okay?" Darcy states before she and Manny wave at me and head down the porch steps.

"You're free to swing by my house whenever." Emma says with a small smile, "I could introduce you around."

I smile, "Thanks."

Emma nods, "See you." She says before turning and heading off down the stairs.

I close the door behind them.

Hmm…maybe Toronto won't be so bad…

Oh, please. Who am I trying to kid?

Myself, obviously.

-x-

**Derek**

-x-

"Hey mope-ass, get down here." I say to Edwin's bedroom door.

I can hear him slump his way down the stairs before opening up the door and glaring at me, "What?"

"They're playing the Greatest Leafs moments on ESPN, wanna go watch?" As long as it gets my mind off of Casey, I'm pretty much willing to do anything with anyone at this point.

Edwin shakes his head, "I'm just gonna stay up here." He says and turns around, heading back up the stairs.

"Not so fast." I say.

Edwin groans and turns to face me, "_What_?"

"What is your problem? Even _I'm_ not acting this dramatic."

"I don't feel like doing anything." He grumbles.

I roll my eyes, "I can tell you're bummed about Lizzie, but move_ on_, Man!"

Edwin shoots me a blank glare, "Should I take notes from you? It's so apparently obvious as to how easily you have gotten over Casey."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask confusingly.

"Like I didn't see you guys' round of tonsil hockey last night," Edwin scoffs.

My face pales, "I was just telling her goodbye."

"Because, you know, that's how I tell everybody _I_ know goodbye."

I grip him by the collar of his shirt, "Shut up, Edwin."

"Smerek!" Marti calls out down the hallway.

I release Edwin and turn to my little sister, "What's going on, Smarti?" I ask, crouching down so that I am eye level with her.

"Do you and Edwin miss Lizzie and Casey?"

I nod, "Yeah, Smarti, we do."

Marti sighs, "Good, because I do too. And I think that we need to get over them."

Edwin eyes her confusingly, "Get over them?" he asks, stepping down the remaining stairs and glancing down at her.

Marti nods, "We need to go eat ice cream. _Lots_ of ice cream."

Edwin chuckles, "You think ice cream can fix this?"

Marti gives us a toothy grin, "Ice cream can fix anything."

**-x-**

**Well, there's the next chapter. Sorry if it kind of sucked, just wanted to get past all the tension between the move. Well, obviously the tension isn't over, LoL. But I just wanted to get past the first stage of it.**

**Anyways, hope you liked it!**

**R&R and please, no flames!**

**Lotsa love, **

**degrassichick**


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